Incubator.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

G. H. LEE.

INGUBATOR.

- APPLICATION FILED DBO. 5. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w I M mom/Us .No. 794,521. PATENTED JULY'll, 1905. G.-H. LEE.

INGUB'ATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED no. 5. 1904.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES. I

I I aearyv ilee ATTORNEYS Iv By. iww p W No. 7941521. PATENTED JULY 11,1905.

' G. H. LEE.

INGUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1030.6, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES. INVENTOH eargefiflee 3 42 W I ATTORNEYS NiTED STATESratented. July 11, 1905.

GEORGE HOIVARD LEE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

INCUBATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,521, dated July 11,1905.

' Application filed December 5,1904. Eerial No. 235,502.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, GEORGE H'oWARD LEE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and Improved Incubator, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to incubators; and its object is to provide aconstruction which conduces toward a thorough circulation and uniformheating of the air within the incubator,

at the same time shielding the eggs from direct air-currents.

A further ob ect is to provide a construction which will facilitate aseparation of the newlytion has been incorporated. Fig. 2 is atransverse central section of the incubator on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken near the position of the lamp whichheats the incubator and illustrating the manner of supporting the saidlamp. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section similar to Fig. 2, butshowingonly a portion of the incubator in order to illustrate themodified construction which I may adopt. Fig. 5 is substantially a planof the parts shown in Fig. 4, certain parts being broken away, as willappear; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a modified constructionfor mounting the lamp.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the body of theincubator, preferably constructed with double walls, as shown. At oneend of the incubator-body a suitable lamp 2 is supported in a mannerwhich will be described more fully hereinafter, and the heated air fromthis lamp passes through an air-duct 3, leading to the interior of adiffuser 1 within the body 1, said diffuser operating to induce acirculation of the air within the incubator. The purposes, construction,and manner of operation of this diffuser constitute the subject-matterof an application for a patent on a brooder filed by me on November 16,1904, Serial No. 232,968. For the purposes of the present application itmay be said, however, that the heating apparatus includes a horizontalflue 5, through which the gases of combustion from the lamp pass, thesame passing through the diffuser 4E longitudinally, as indicated.Longitudinally with respect to this flue 5 are provided a pair ofoppositely-disposed defiecting-boards 6, which are inclined, as shown.with their inner edges elevated, and these boards extend continuouslybetween the ends of the body. The diffuser 5 is supported from the underside of transversely-disposed blocks 7, and these blocks rest upon theupper edges of the deflecting-boards 6, as indicated in Fig. 2.Supported upon the blocks 7 is a sheet 8 of asbestos, cardboard, orsimilar material, and this sheet constitutes a false cover inclosing aspace 9 thereabove below the main cover 10 for the body.

As indicated most clearly in Fig. 2, the wall 11 of the incubator-bodyis preferably provided with a swinging door 12, which enables access tobe had to the interior of the incubator for attending to the eggs, &c.On the end walls 13 and at suitable height from the floor of the body Iprovide oppositely-disposed cleats 14 to support a frame 15, havingcross-bars 16. Upon the under side of this frame one or more sheets ofcloth or similar porous material 17 are attached. The rear edge of thiscloth frame preferably rests against the rear wall 18 of the body, asindicated; but the frame is of less width than the body, so that a spaceexists between the forward edge of the frame and the swinging door 12,provided with a transparent pane 12. Below the cleats 1 1 similar cleats19 are provided, and these support an egg-tray 20, which is composed ofslats 21, disposed transversely of the incubator-body, and preferably ofsubstantially triangular section, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1.Between these slats the eggs are placed in the usual manner, beingsupported thereupon, as will be readily understood, one of the said eggsbeing illustrated in dotted outline at 22. The forward edge of thisegg-tray 20 is in substantial alinement with the forward edge of thecloth-frame or screen above the eggs, and, like the said cloth-- '15 and24, with their coverings, constitute;

screens for the eggs in the egg-tray and preventdirect currents of airfrom coming in contact with the eggs.

As will appear from Fig. 2, the forward edge of the frame 24 terminatesin substantial alinement with the forward edges of the egg-tray and thecloth-frame'15. While the cloth-frame 24 has the aforesaid function of;

screening the eggs from air-currents, it has other functions which willappear more fully hereinafter.

It is understood that the egg-tray, together with the frames 15 and 24,can be readily inserted and removed through the doorway closed by theswinging door 12. In order to facilitate the placing of the egg-tray inposition, the forward edge of the cloth-frame 15 is preferably providedwith an eye 26, which affords means for supporting the forward edge ofthe frame in an elevated position through the medium of a hook 27, saidhook being attached, as shown, to the inner side of the forward wall 11.

The bottom 28 of the incubator preferably consists of a main frame 29,which is of substantially rectangular form and held in place by buttons30, as will be readily understood. To the rear bar of this main frame anauxiliary frame 31 is attached by means of suitable hinges 32, and thisauxiliary frame is supported on the mainframe by means of a button 33.This auxiliary frame is preferably covered by sheets of cloth 34,attached, re-

spectively, to the upper and lower sides thereof, as indicated. Thisauxiliary frame is adapted to be let down by turning the button 33, andin order to enable chicks to be removed from the incubator withoutopening the door 12 and to prevent drafts of air passing up into theincubator the side edges of the auxiliary frame are connected with theside edges of the main frame by means of triangularly-cut cloth pieces35. These pieces of cloth also operate and hang down from the bottom, aswill be readily understood. 1

With the arrangement described as the chicks hatch from the eggs theyfall through between the bars upon the frame or shelf 24, and here theybecome thoroughly dried and gain in strength. As they become strongerthey commence to run about and are apt to proceed toward the light whichcomes through the glass 12 of the door 12, and eventually they fall overthe forward edge of the shelf upon the bottom 28 of the incubator. Theycan be removed from the bottom by letting down the auxiliary frame 31 inthe manner described above. Fromthis arrangement a separation iseffected between the newly hatched chicks and the stronger onespreviously hatched. Moreover, this separation is beneficial, for thereason that the temperature upon the shelf or frame 24 is higher thanthat below the same, and this is well, because it conduces to a quickdrying of the newlyhatched chicks, while the temperature below the frameis somewhat cooler and better adapted for the older chicks.

At a suitable point within the body 1 a regulator or thermostat 36 isprovided, the same being connected with adamper 37, controlling theflame of the lamp in any suitable manner. Where great accuracy isdesired in controlling the temperature at the egg-tray, Lprovide thearrangement indicated in Fig. 4. This arrangement consists in providinga cloth-frame 38 of special construction, the rear portion 39 of whichis elevated, as shown, so as to inclose a space 40, in which theregulator is received. This frame comprises a cloth covering 41 in oneor more layers, the same being similar to the cloth cover l? describedin connection with the aforesaid cloth-frame 15. The frame 38 ispreferably composed of cross-bars 42, arranged substantially as shown.In case the shaft of the regulator passes out through a vertical wall ofthe body it will be unnecessary to make special arrangements for fittingthe cloth-frame 38 to be put in position. However, where the said shaftis vertical, as indicated at 43 in Fig. 4, I provide the rear edge ofthe cloth-frame 38 with an elongated recess 0r slot 44 to receive theshaft, as shown at its inner extremity, in such manner as to permit therear edge of the frame to come substantially against the rear wall 18 ofthe body. At this point the cloth covering is supported upon oppositelyspaced parallel bars or slats 45, which provide su'flicient spacebetween them to allow the insertion of the shaft, as will be readilyunderstood.

In order to support the lamp 2 in position, I provide a bracket 46,which is clearly'illustrated in Fig. 3, the same consisting, preferably,of a band bent so as to present vertical legs 47 and 48, the former ofwhich is bent outwardly and downwardly, so as to present a lip 49, whichmay be received in a hook 50,

attached to the end wall of the body, as shown. The leg L8 is bentoutwardly also to form a lip 51, and this lip enables the bracket to besupported by means of a suitable spring. I prefer to use a helicalspring 52, such as that shown in Fig. 1, while in Fig. 3 I illustrate amodified form in which a leaf-spring 53 is used, the same being attachedto the side of the lamp-hood 54 and being provided with aninwardly-disposed nib or catch 55, which is adapted to engage the lip 51when forced upwardly thereagainst, as will be readily understood. Thelower edge 56 of this nib is preferably inclined, as shown, so as toenable the lip 51 to deflect the spring 53 outwardly when coming intothe space above the same.

On consideration it should appear that the cloth-frames 15 and 24constitute shelves which operate as screens to shield the eggs fromdirect air-currents. At the same time it should be understood that thecoverings of these shelves are of cloth or similar porous material whichenables a certain quantity of air to pass through. The fact that theframe 24 is covered with cloth is also advantageous, as it tends toprevent any injury to the chicks when they fall through from theegg-tray.

In placing the lamp in position the body thereof is set in the bowl orbracket 46,while the bracket is held in a depressed position at itsouter extremity. When the lamp has been placed in position, the bracketis then elevated and is maintained in this position by its spring, atwhich time the burner 57 of the lamp will substantially come against thelower extremity of the chimney 58, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1.Evidently when the lamp 2 has been removed the bracket 46 may also betaken off, and this arrangement facilitates the packing of the parts forshipment.

In Fig. 6 a lamp-mounting is illustrated, which consists of a plate59,hooked at 60 to engage the lower edge of the lamp-body 2. The upper edgeof the lamp-body is secured to the said plate by solder or a clip 61 andthe upper portion of the plate is bent over, as in the other forms, toengage the hook 50. An eye 62 is provided on the lamp-body to enable thespring 52 to support it, as shown in Fig. 6.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In an incubator, in combination, an eggtraydisposed at an elevation above the floor of said incubator, saidegg-tray being of openwork construction and adapted to enablenewly-hatched chicks to fall therethrough, and a shelf disposed beneathsaid egg-tray and adapted to receive said newly-hatched chicks,

said shelf being of smaller area than said floor, whereby chicks mayfall from said shelf upon said floor.

2. In an incubator, in combination, an eggtray supported at an elevationwithin the body thereofand having an open-work construction,facilitating the gravitation of newlyhatched chicks from said tray, ashelf at an elevation with respect to the floor of said incubator anddisposed beneath said tray, to catch newly-hatched chicks, the forwardedges of said tray and said shelf being in substantial alinement andpresenting a space therebeyond, and means for admitting light to directchicks toward said space, whereby said chicks may fall to said floorfrom said shelf.

3. In an incubator, in combination, a body, an egg-tray supported on thewalls thereof and a bottom adapted to let down therefrom at one side,facilitating the removal of the chicks from said body.

4:. In an incubator, a body, a bottom adapted to swing down from saidbody, said bottom comprising a frame, and a cloth attached at the sideedges thereof.

5. In an incubator, in combination, a body,

a bottom therefor, comprising a main frame of substantially rectangularform, means for removably supporting said frame, an auxiliary framehinged to said first frame and adapted to let down, and side pieces ofcloth connecting the side edges of said auxiliary frame with said mainframe.

' 6. An incubator bottom, consisting of a main frame of substantiallyrectangular form, adapted to be removably held in position, and anauxiliary frame hinged thereto and adapted to let down, the side edgesof said frames being connected by a flexible material.

7. In an incubator, in combination, a hook adapted to be attached to thebody of said incubator, a lamp-bracket engaging said hook atits innerextremity, a lamp, the body of which is supported in said bracket, achimney against which said lamp-body thrusts, and means for supportingthe outer extremity of said bracket in an elevated position.

8. In an incubator, in combination, an eggtray, a screen thereaboveconstituting a shield for said egg-tray, and a thermostat between saidscreen and said tray, said screen having an elevated portion disposedabove said thermostat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub- I 5 scribing witnesses.

GEORGE HOWARD LEE. Witnesses:

HARRY RowLEY, Ross ONEIL.

